The Need for Speed series does not need much of a description. There is a considerable probability that you have played the best Need For Speed game at some point in your life, even if you are not a fan of racing simulation games. That demonstrates how popular it is.
People who are die-hard fans of the series have fond recollections of specific titles from their time playing them on the PlayStation 2. Believe it or not, it has been more than 28 years since the original Need for Speed game, Need for Speed: Underground was launched in 1994.
Since 1994, Electronic Arts has produced about 25 NFS games, which have been developed by a variety of studios and development companies. On the one hand, some of the most successful and popular games, such as NFS Hot Pursuit and Most Wanted, and disappointing titles, such as NFS Run and Undercover, have characterized the franchise’s history.
Regardless of a few failures along the way, the brand has shown time and time again that they produce one of the greatest racing games available for both desktop computers and video game consoles. Almost every outstanding game in the NFS series has a distinguishing characteristic that helps it stand out from the crowd.
We have made a list so that you can choose the best Need For Speed game!
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Choosing The Best Need For Speed Game:
1. Need For Speed: Carbon (2006)
Need for Speed: Carbon is quite similar to Need for Speed: Underground; however, it has a shorter single-player campaign, which is nonetheless fun, in contrast to the previous game. The automobile customization options are minimal compared to the last game, Need for Speed Underground.
Because it lets you utilize nitrous oxide, it is deserving of inclusion among the top games for street racing. It also features delightful gameplay that is full of surprises at every turn.
This is an impressive performance for a game launched more than 10 years ago. Exceptional driving mechanics are included, and the game offers a high degree of replayability. Need for Speed: Carbon is a game that nostalgic gamers may return to without a second thought. This is the perfect answer for the best Need For Speed game.
2. Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (2002)
The game Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 is more an arcade-style racing game than a simulator. It has a vast array of fantastic automobiles from some of its most prominent automobile manufacturers. Like its predecessor, NFS III: Hot Pursuit, the game placed a strong emphasis on police pursuits and dodging arrest.
For the most part, that is correct during the first fifty per cent of the game. There are two primary game modes in NFS Hot Pursuit 2, with just one of them including police pursuits. A racing option that does not feature police chases enables players to compete against other drivers in races such as Time Trials, Lap Knockouts, and sprints without worrying about being chased down by police.
The police pursuits are complex, and it gets more challenging to avoid them as the game progresses. Furthermore, the cops will not be focused just on you and will attempt to apprehend AI drivers equally throughout the game, which is rather astounding. More than a dozen exotic automobiles from brands such as Aston Martin, Lamborghini, McLaren, and Ferrari are included in the game.
While driving in this game is far from realistic, it attempts to replicate the features of real-world automobiles to some level. In the game, you may also play the role of a police officer, chasing down racers and making arrests. During your tenure as a police officer, you will have the power to summon more units, including a helicopter, and order barriers and spike strips. You will get several prizes with each arrest you make.
When Hot Pursuit 2 was first launched, it was available in three different versions: PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, and GameCube. All of the variations, on the other hand, were not similar.
However, compared to the PlayStation 2 version, which is the definitive edition of the game, the Xbox and GameCube versions are noticeably lacking in all aspects of gameplay. The game’s PC version was likewise underwhelming, even though it was a port of the Xbox and GameCube versions. This is the best Need For Speed game for PS4.
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3. Need For Speed: Underground (2003)
Fans of racing simulation games were treated to a radically different experience when NFS Underground was released a year after Hot Pursuit 2. It did away with the idea of having a large number of exotic and sports automobiles and high-octane police chases, which had made its predecessors a popular favourite in the first place.
Instead, it included something that no other game in the genre had done before: a unique vehicle customization system and a single-player option that was well-designed.
Underground does an excellent job with driving characteristics like handling and accident physics, even though it is far from being a realistic racing simulator in terms of graphics.
The game emphasizes giving a customizable vehicle modification system that allows players to transform a relatively mid-range racing car into a showy, attention-getting racer.
The number of automobiles accessible in the game is reasonable, with models such as the Honda Civic, Toyota Supra, Mazda Miata, and Dodge Neon.
The Acura Integra and Honda S2000 are two examples of similar automobiles in appearance. Both the external appearance and the performance of cars may be improved. Improved engines, turbochargers, body frames, brakes, chip tuning, and NOS are just a few examples of performance enhancements.
Before buying a performance enhancement, you must first unlock it by completing races and purchasing aesthetic enhancements such as headlights, hood replacements, neons, headlight or taillight replacements, and other components. The upgrades that have been bought may be applied to a vehicle via the customization menu.
NFS Underground has five distinct race styles, including Circuit, Knockout, Sprint, Drifting, and Drag racing. The circuit is the most challenging of the race modes. Drift racing mode was the most recent addition to the series, and it challenged players to accumulate as many points as possible while drifting around a small loop circuit. It improved the overall flavour and difficulty of the game.
Underground is a quality NFS game that offers a plethora of customizing choices and excellent music and visuals. Still, it may get monotonous due to the lack of variety in the available racing circuits. This is the best Need For Speed game on PS4.
4. Need For Speed: Shift (2009)
Need for Speed: Shift is a racing game that offers practically everything a player might desire in a racing game. It does everything right, whether it’s the car and course selection, the customization possibilities, the handling, the crash mechanics, the AI opponents, or the overall racing experience.
Except for a voiceover at the beginning of the game, there is no plot in the game at all. However, it does not make the gameplay monotonous or uninteresting, contrary to popular belief. The Shift includes 19 authentic racing courses from across the globe, including Willow Springs, Laguna Seca, and Spa Silverstone.
Even though these circuits are not precisely authentic, Slightly Mad Studios has done a fantastic job of making them aesthetically engaging enough so that you can appreciate every inch of the racecourse while driving. With the in-car view, the driver may get a very detailed perspective of their surroundings, which was previously seen in NFS: Porsche Unleashed.
With the more powerful visuals in Shift, players may experience crashes that are as realistic as possible, complete with audio and visual effects such as crash noises and screen blur. There are approximately 60 cars in the game, divided into four tiers, with entry-level vehicles such as the Audi TT in Tier 1, mid-level cars such as the BMW M3 in Tier 2, and more advanced supercars in Tier 3 and Tier 4.
There are approximately 60 cars in the game divided into four tiers. You can spend hours on this best PS4 Need For Speed game.
5. Need For Speed: Underground (2004)
In 2004, Need for Speed: Underground 2 was released a year after the release of its direct precursor, Need for Speed: Underground. While the game maintains and enhances the gameplay aspects established by its predecessor, it also significantly extends and improves them.
Underground 2 takes place in an open-world setting, with all of the action taking place in a vast metropolis separated into five regions for ease of navigation. It’s the fact that many of the gameplay mechanics and essential components in NFS Underground 2 are comparable to those found in another fan-favourite game series, Grand Theft Auto, that makes it so memorable.
You will get text messages and phone calls from time to time while driving. There are five stages to each race in the game, with each step taking place in a different region of the map. All of the races in the game are broken into stages. Once a location is finished, the race sites from the previous step are changed with the race places from the next scene.
For example, unlike other racing games, where you can start a new race from a menu, Underground 2 requires players to drive to an exact place on the map to begin playing a game. While the majority of the racing sites are visible on the in-game radar, a few are concealed and may only be discovered by the player while exploring the environment.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of playing NFS Underground 2 is the extensive graphic customization choices available. You can personalize practically every external aspect of your automobile, including the spoiler, bumpers, headlights and taillights, roof, mufflers, rims, and add decals and other decorative elements to the vehicle.
As you go through the races, you will be able to access additional personalized settings. This is the best PS3 Need For Speed game.
6. Need For Speed: Shift 2 (2011)
A more significant probability exists that you have previously played and enjoyed one of Need for Speed’s most celebrated editions, Shift 2 Unleashed if you like racing games such as Gran Turismo or Forza. The number of components of the gameplay has been expanded and improved compared to the game’s predecessor – NFS Shift.
In reality, there has been a tremendous improvement in several areas. A helmet camera has been added to the game, showing the driver’s perspective while tracking the player’s head movement. When the player’s automobile collides with an obstruction, the camera makes dramatic forward jerking motions to portray the impact accurately.
It also stimulates the tunnel-vision effect that drivers experience while travelling at high speeds on the highway. The enhanced visuals in Shift 2 make racing more realistic and demanding, which is particularly true for night racing. Shift 2: Unleashed is a must-have for serious racing players looking for a more dynamic experience in the same vein as its predecessor.
One can quickly feel the excitement and adrenaline when driving in this game because of the more realistic racing experience, collision dynamics, and better automobile designs added to it.
While Shift 2 has slightly more than 140 customizable automobiles and around 40 real-world locations or courses, the game is in no way comparable in scale to titles like Forza Motorsport 3 or Gran Turismo 5. However, when it comes to the whole gaming experience, Shift 2 is one of the closest things you can get to those games. This is the best Need For Speed game for customizing cars.
7. Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010)
The Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit video game released in 2010 is the sixteenth chapter in the Need for Speed series and a remake of the 1998 Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit. This game is the spiritual heir to the previous Hot Pursuit titles (NFS III and Hot Pursuit 2) in every manner conceivable since it incorporates the essential characteristics of those games while producing something more refined and sophisticated.
Racecar drivers or police officers may earn a living out of their passion for driving in this environment. With the power of law enforcement at your disposal, you’ll be able to dispatch extra personnel, place roadblocks, install spike strips, and deploy EMP weapons to slow down your adversaries’ progress.
On the other hand, Racers may employ equipment such as Turbo boost and Jammer to avoid being stopped by police vehicles and officers. Players may monitor their progress and share it online in Hot Pursuit Reboot, the first game to use Autolog, a social network system for recent Need for Speed games that allows players to track their progress and share it online.
Alle in-game automobiles are licensed replicas of real-world cars. Some of which are limited editions, such as the Porsche 911 Carrera S. Except for the Wii version, there are extremely few graphic modification choices available. The game’s incredible terrain, setting, and crash mechanics are just a few of the game’s many highlights.
The game is highly regarded as addicting, and it is primarily considered one of the finest racing games released in recent years. A remastered version of this game was published in 2020 by EA on many platforms, including PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. It is the first game in the NFS series to be awarded one of these awards.
Although it is not sorely in need of one, the remastered edition adds even more enjoyment to what is already a fantastic game. Many vehicle customization choices and DLCs from previous games are included, and all of them may now be played in the primary career mode. This is the best Need For Speed PC game.
8. Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2012)
Aiming to delight long-time fans by bringing back the positive aspects of the original while incorporating components from other games, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, released in 2012, was set in an open environment. The ability to explore the city is the most critical selling element, more than anything else.
The only drawback is the lack of attraction in the single-player mode because the quality of the races is not as high as it is in multiplayer mode. The game performs its most outstanding work in pushing the boundaries of multiplayer racing, with contests delivering the level of excitement that fans have come to expect from the series.
Most Wanted is the perfect answer to what is the best Need For Speed game!
9. Need For Speed: No Limits (2015)
When it comes to Need for Speed, there is no Need for Speed ports available for the Switch. However, you may give No Limits a try regardless of whether you have an Android or iOS smartphone. The game’s scope is astonishing given its style, and there are several events and vehicles to unlock, which keeps the game feeling new.
Be prepared to deal with the pay-to-win aspect of its microtransactions, mainly when competing against other players online. Nonetheless, you may make the most of your lunch breaks to carefully proceed through the task at hand regardless of the situation. This is the best Need For Speed game for mobile devices.
10. Need For Speed (2015)
This glitzy remake from 2015 used the new consoles’ enhanced graphics, realistic driving, and a slew of additional content to provide an unforgettable gaming experience. Players were required to have an Internet connection to participate in the game, which was also mainly centred online.
However, the tale is still in the early stages of development, and the online modes have failed to capitalize on the chances presented to them. Despite this, the in-game campaign does provide the option to race against notable real-life racers, albeit the game’s lacklustre artificial intelligence took away from this exciting new element. This is the best Need For Speed game.